


You Can't Say Things With Your Mouth

by donutsfordun



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: AU, Cute, Fluff, M/M, drug references, josh dun - Freeform, joshler - Freeform, sick, some slight imaginary smut, twenty one pilots - Freeform, tyler joseph - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-05
Updated: 2016-09-05
Packaged: 2018-08-13 04:20:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7962187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/donutsfordun/pseuds/donutsfordun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tyler is miserable, he's simultaneously hot and cold, his throat hurts like hell and he can barely speak.<br/>He planned on waiting this cold out alone with tissues, cough syrup, and Netflix until his, well lets not call him boyfriend how about, this guy he's sorta seeing, decides to take measures into his own hands. </p><p>Fluff ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Can't Say Things With Your Mouth

**Author's Note:**

> Okay ik I literally have like 3 other fics to be working on but this idea just came in my head and I have to write it before I lose interest. It's so cute and was so fun to write and definitely a change of pace from the sad angsty shit I like to write. Also I know it's fluff and not really supposed to be smuty but it's from Tyler's perspective and Tyler's a horny little thing and there's lots of sexual tension between them so Tyler's thoughts get a little wild. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ anyway enjoy.

Tyler was thrown from his sleep and let out a horrendous cough. It ripped through his windpipe and crushed against his lungs on it's way up. Mucus came up with it and Tyler turned on his side and spat it out in the trash can turned vomit bucket next to his bed.

With a groan he laid back down and squeezed his eyes shut. At least the throwing up part is done with, he thought trying to ignore the soreness in his ribs as he turned again. It seemed getting comfortable in these sheets was next to impossible. Or maybe it was just him.

He pulled the cover up to his chin just as a wave of heat rippled through his body. Oh no, he thought beads of sweat lining up on his forehead. It was hot. Too hot. And he couldn't breathe. He kicked the sheets off as fast as he could manage but he still felt hot. His shaky hands unbuttoned his pajama top and he threw it to the side. The pants soon followed. It was still too hot.

Water, I need water. He tried to sit up but his muscles were too weak and he barely moved. Maybe in a second and he closed his eyes, falling fast asleep.

He was awoken what seemed like two minutes later, but was really four hours later, by a dull buzzing. He slowly opened his eyes confused by how dark the room was. His tv was on the Netflix menu screen and last time Tyler checked he was watching House M.D. He shook his head and reached over to the nightstand for his phone.

"Man I must've took too much cough syrup." He said pressing his finger on the fingerprint sensor. A new message popped up on the screen.

Josh: hey r u up for a movie? this new slasher thing comes out 2nite I figured u'd like it. lots of blood :)

He smiled as he typed out his reply:

Tyler: sorry I won't be able to make it. I'm literally...  
Tyler: sick as frick

He set his phone back down on the nightstand and leaned back against the pillows. He and Josh hadn't really known each other for very long but Tyler had really grown fond of him in that short time frame. He was tall and had thick, bright blue hair. His eyes were like melted chocolate chips and he had the most beautiful tattoo Tyler had ever seen. Colors weaved together in an intricate pattern and splayed across his bicep. He was awestruck the first time he saw it.

Other than physical features Josh had quite a lot of redeeming personal qualities. He was nice and sweet, very charming, he was caring and a great listener and very funny. In fact his humor was the only reason Tyler had agreed to a second date. His kissing skills were the reason he had agreed to a third.

Just thinking about the kiss made Tyler smile again and a slow blush crept across his sickly, pale face. He was attentive and soft, and he ran his fingers through Tyler's hair like he was used to it. An arm wrapped around his waist pulling him closer. Tyler's arms snaking up and encircling his neck. Two pairs of soft lips connecting for the first time under a streetlight. It was a little cold but Josh was warm enough. Tyler felt warmer than he had ever felt in his life, but not an uncomfortable warm. It was perfect. Josh pulled away, his eyes big and lips coated with a mix of his and Tyler's saliva. Sorry, he whispered to the ground, running his hand across the back of his neck and up through his hair. He looked away. It's okay, Tyler said smiling, I liked it. Their eyes met again and Tyler took pride in the fact that he was able to make the bigger boy blush so deeply. Josh offered a hushed goodbye and Tyler waved as Josh got back in his car.

He made his way up to his apartment, unable to keep his smile down. Not while he hung his clothes from that night up. Not while he brushed his teeth. Not while he got settled under the covers and turned off the light. All he could focus on were his hands on his waist, bringing him closer. What if his hands went lower, grazing the front of his pants. Josh's lips on his, warm, soft, big. What if his lips went lower, touching where his neck and his collar bone met. What if Tyler invited him upstairs to his apartment? They strayed to the couch, a mess of tangled limbs. Legs in between legs, thighs pressed up against the fronts of jeans, friction. Clothes on the floor, muffled gasps, tension releasing. Cold hands tracing warm abs. Quiet breathing.

A moan escaped Tyler's mouth and he was brought back to reality, he didn't even realize what he was doing. His face flushed red and he wondered if he should feel ashamed of himself. It was only their second date, isn't that a little weird. Nonetheless he finished with his breath hitched and raggedy, and curses on the edge of his tongue. He fell asleep thinking of Josh and Josh's lips. He tasted like candy.

Then Tyler's phone buzzed and the magic of the moment disappeared back into the confines of his memory bank, to be reveled in again at a later date. But it was Josh so that made it okay.

Josh: lol but fr what a bummer. u need anything?

You, he almost typed out then shook his head, no need to be clingy yet.

Tyler: nah. just me, netflix and some lean. bout to go codine crazy!!

Josh responded instantly probably to poke fun at Tyler's attempt of a joke.

Josh: pls stop. who's looking after u? how sick r u?

Tyler: I'm a grown ass man I can look after m'self for one and for two I'm throwing up a lot, I believe I've got the chills, I have a fever, and my throat hurts so much I can't talk. So I'm gonna say I'm not that sick at all ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

Josh: stfu w/ that ugly ass man. where's the top of his head?  
Josh: also I'll be at urs in 10

Tyler: no no. I'm ok I'll be just fine

But Josh didn't reply. Oh no. Sirens wailed in his head: Josh Alert. You are sick and ugly alert. Josh alert. You are sick and ugly alert.

He sat up in his bed and ran his fingers through his matted hair. I've got ten minutes, what do I need to do? Josh can't see me this ugly. It's too soon for that. I can't make him leave. Might as well get ready for this.

He swung his feet off the side of his bed and stood up ignoring the dizziness that pounded at his head. First stop the bathroom, he thought as he walked out the room snatching his pajama pants off the floor as he stepped over them. He couldn't let Josh see his pasty, stick legs this early in the relationship. He bounced from foot to foot as he pulled them up. This task warranted a sheen layer of sweat that coated his body, but he finished and that's all that matters.

He leaned against the wall on his way to the bathroom stopping to catch his breath. He closed his eyes and with a forceful inhale he pushed the door open nearly falling inside. The blue furry rug tickled his feet and he smiled at it. His roommate had given it to him when Tyler first left saying, it creeped him out severely and was the reason he abhorred from much needed late night bathroom trips. Tyler just laughed.

He pressed his hands on the cold ceramic and turned the faucet on. He reached his hand up to the mirror to open the cabinet and retrieve his toothbrush when he caught a glimpse of hisself. He looked dead to put it bluntly. His eyes were dull and dark black circles encased them. His lips were chapped and flakey and he probably had old vomit in the corners. He was much paler than usual and all the weight was gone from his face. If this didn't send Josh running nothing would.

He brushed his teeth with a shaky hand, having to stop twice to catch his breath and steady himself on the sink. But this task was accomplished. Time for number three.

He grabbed his towel from the rack on his side and looked around for the soap. Which was resting on the rim of the bathtub. Tyler had a inkling that if he sat down to get it he wouldn't be able to get up. So he decided to use the next best, and closest thing, hand soap. He squeezed some pumps onto his damp towel and scrubbed at his bare chest, his arms, his armpits, which to be fair smelled revolting, almost as if he didn't shower for three days straight.

Which he hadn't.

Once satisfied he put the towel back on the rack, applied a generous helping of deodorant, and left the bathroom. He forced his way back to his room clutching a bottle of Frebreeze and sprayed liberally. He sniffed the air and he couldn't smell vomit anymore so it had to be working. He picked his sheets off the floor and threw them haphazardly on the bed. Okay now just one more thing.

He was breathing deeply as he made his way to the trash can filled with vomit on the side of his bed. He almost threw up again at the site of it, and it was then that he was grateful for his nose being all stuffed up. He bent down ignoring the screams of pain in his back, tied the bag off and dragged it into the kitchen. It found its place in the bigger trash can and Tyler found his place back in bed.

He started to let his eyes close once more when his phone rang, barely moving he stretched his arm over to the nightstand and patted for his phone. He squinted at the name, Josh. He brought it to his ear and whispered and haggard hello.

"Jesus man you sound near the grave." Josh said in bewilderment. Tyler rolled his eyes.

"Yeah I feel like I just rolled out of one." He managed to croak out.

"You gotta stop talking for right now," Josh said with more concern this time, and Tyler smiled. His caring was the sweetest thing ever. No one else would care this much about the guy they're not really dating, but not really not dating. "So uh I'm downstairs and what's your apartment number?"

"605."

"Okay okay, is the uh the uh the door, that's it, is the door unlocked?" Josh stumbled over his words slightly and embarrassment flooded his voice.

"No. I have a spare key though. It's under my rug." Tyler said ignoring the burning in his throat that only increased with each word he spoke.

"How cliché." Josh said with a laugh, "Well I'm in the elevator now, I'll be right there, okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay."

"Okay." And with that Tyler hung up he was not about to make some shitty reference to some even shittier movie book duo. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes leaning back into the pillows, just for a second Josh'll wake him up when he gets in.

Tyler opened his eyes once again thinking only a handful of minutes had passed, but it had actually been an hour and a half. He sat up confused by how it was even darker, and why there were noises coming from the kitchen. With a sigh he pushed the covers off and pulled himself to a wobbly stand. If it was someone breaking in, Tyler would probably just let him go crazy. He was much too tired to fight, or argue, or scream.

He pushed his door open and then all the energy he thought he had sapped right out of him and he was forced to lean against the doorframe for support. He couldn't see the kitchen from here, but he could feel the heat from it. Did someone break in just to make some food?

"Hello?" He whispered knowing his greetings wouldn't be heard over the clanging of pots and pans and especially not over the roar of the sink water. Then the kitchen sink was turned off, and the light followed shortly after. Someone was humming and heading his way. Tyler stood frozen against the wall. He wanted to move, cry out for help, run, do something but he couldn't he was too tired. He squinted as the mystery figure bounded the corner, and jumped slightly.

"Tyler why aren't you in bed and why are you just standing there like a creep? You scared me." Josh said stopping directly in front of Tyler, the only thing separating them was a tray that held what looked like soup and crackers and a little bottle of something. Tyler couldn't tell what it was.

"I thought you were a robber." Tyler whispered looking at the ground. Josh just laughed, and then Tyler instantly realized the meaning of the phrase 'laughter is the best medicine' If Josh laughed constantly Tyler could never feel anything other than good.

"A robber that made you soup?" Josh said laughter still lining his words. "Go lay down Ty." Tyler nodded and forced his legs to work and he walked back to his bed and collapsed into the sheets.

"Tsk tsk tsk," Josh mumbled as he sat the tray down on top of Tyler's dresser and slid over to Tyler. "You need rest to help you get better, you shouldn't be getting up so much. And also-" he paused to breathe in deeply. "Why does you room smell like you want to choke on febreeze in your sleep?" Tyler giggled out a muffled response from under the sheets, and Josh just shook his head. "Ty turn on your back, I have some questions, and you have some soup to eat." Tyler shook his head, he wasn't trying to be difficult he was just so tired. He just wanted to sleep forever. But Josh wasn't having any of that and he turned Tyler over on his back.

"What?" Tyler said squinting at Josh. His red hair looked weird when he didn't have in contacts.

"How long have you been sick?" Josh asked sitting at the corner of the bed gingerly, like he was afraid it was a seesaw and Tyler would go flying through the ceiling if he sat down too hard.

Tyler held up three fingers. Then put one down slightly.

"Two and a half days?" Tyler nodded. "Okay what's your temperature?" Tyler shrugged and Josh glared at him, "You should know this Tyler. It matters because if you're too hot you've got to go to the hospital. But luckily for you I've got a thermometer." Josh stood up and grabbed a thermometer off the tray that he had put on Tyler's dresser. He made his way back to Tyler who opened his mouth and Josh popped in the thermometer. "Okay so give that one minute and let me find you some new sheets, your current ones might look fine but they've got at least three days worth of sick germs in them." And with that Josh dipped out of the room and Tyler was alone again.

But not for too long as Josh came running back with an armful of bed sheets just as the thermometer started to beep. He took it out of Tyler's mouth and clucked at it. "101.2 not enough for the doctor but still too high. So okay let's get this fever down. First off we've gotta change these sheets. Tyler stand up, I'm sorry just for a minute or so."

But Tyler didn't mind he got to enjoy the view of Josh bending stretched over across the bed to lay the fitted sheet across. His little bottom waving in the air, almost in the same manner as a puppy. Tyler wished he was well enough to firmly grasp his hips and make him stop wiggling so much. He could press up against him, make it look like an accident. Sorry Josh, he'll mumble. Oh that's fine I liked it, Josh would say. Really now, Tyler would retort and press up against him harder. You like that too, he'd ask and Josh would moan. His arms would get weak and he'd have to drop down to his forearms to stay supported. Yes Tyler I like that, he'd say. Tyler would look down with a devilish grin, I know something else you'd like he'd say gently moving his hands from Josh's hips bringing them closer and closer to the front of Josh's pants. Oh my you're already-

"Tyler!" Josh shouted and from his exasperated facial expression it probably wasn't the first time he had called him. "Lay down." He demanded pointing at the freshly made bed, with brand new sheets. Tyler nodded and crawled back under the sheets reveling in the cold. "Okay so I made some soup for your throat, it's a little spicy but you have to eat it all so you'll feel better. It's chicken noodle, I didn't know what kind you liked and I figured I should go with something safe that everyone liked." He pulled Tyler's desk chair up to the side of the bed and place the soup on the nightstand. "Hey you mind if I turn on a light?" Josh asked and Tyler shook his head, then the room instantly flooded with light. Not too much just a soft little lamp that gave the room a comfy glow.

"Alright here we go, sit up I don't want you to spill." Tyler reached for the spoon and firmly grasped it in his shaking hands. "On second thought," Josh said reaching over and plucking it out of his hand. "How about I just feed you?" Tyler's eyes grew about twelve sizes. Tyler hadn't been fed in a serious way since he was little, how would it work out? Nonetheless Tyler opened his mouth as Josh put the first spoonful in. And nearly choked as it went down, Josh hadn't been lying when he said it was spicy. But his throat felt nice and he could breathe from both nostrils for the first time in what felt like years. Josh laughed wiping at the corners of Tyler's mouth and smiled.

"Here let me tell you about my week while you eat, then after that I'll turn on a movie or something and you can get back to sleeping." Tyler nodded as another spoonful came his way, this one had a noodle in it! "Okay so Monday I went into work, I work at this music store. It's not a lot money wise but the atmosphere is great and the owner let's me stay in the apartment upstairs which is a major plus and, don't tell anyone I said this, but I think he's dying or something because he mentioned to me that when he does he's leaving the shop to me. That made my day. So anyway back to work. I came in with my coffee and started getting ready to open up and I went in the back, where the brass instruments were, and guess what I found?" He paused holding the spoon up in the air and looked at Tyler, who assumed that the 'guess' wasn't rhetorical.

"Um twenty dollars?" He asked not really wanting to guess he just wanted more of that soup. What did Josh put in it? It was so addictive, he felt like he could just drink it forever and ever.

"-so picture me in my pajama pants and a shirtless twelve year old boy climbing out a tuba!" Josh laughed and Tyler forced a laugh out completely missing at least half the story. It got quiet quickly and Josh gently fed him another spoonful. His eyes didn't leave his and he let the spoon rest on Tyler's bottom lip a little too long. A soft blush flashed across Josh's face and he looked away. "Sorry." He mumbled.

"It's fine Josh. You're fine." Tyler said amidst a mouthful of noodles. Josh just smiled at him and he placed the spoon down and handed Tyler the bowl.

"Here drink the rest, and then drink this." He said dangling the small bottle Tyler had noticed earlier in his hands. "It's cough syrup, but it's prescription and much stronger than that Tylenol stuff you've been gulping down." Tyler smiled thankful for the bowl that was shielding his face from Josh at the moment.

He placed the now empty bowl on the nightstand as Josh twisted open the child protective cap. If he wasn't so tired he might've laughed at Josh's attempts, but you can't laugh at something that you can't do. And eventually Josh got it open and pressed the bottle to Tyler's lips.

"Now I know it's sweet, just don't drink too much I have some parties to go to." He noticed Tyler's wide eyes from behind the bottle, "I'm kidding." Tyler rolled his eyes and Josh pulled the cough syrup away from him. "Okay lay back down and I'll turn on a movie for us." Tyler nodded and sank back under the covers while Josh gathered all the things he had brought into the room with the exception of one plate. As quickly as he left he came back with a bag of popcorn and a box of saltine crackers. He grabbed the plate from the dresser and settled down on the other side of Tyler's bed. He handed Tyler the plate and the box of crackers while he scrolled down the menu looking for a movie to watch. Eventually he decided on not a movie but a show and the sounds of Futurama flooded the room.

Tyler nibbled on a cracker, not really paying so much attention to the alien antics. He was focused more on Josh. How his eyes shined in the light. How he mouthed the lines before they were said almost like he had seen it a million times. How the corners of his eyes crinkled when a joke or something funny came up. How he let the popcorn rest on his tongue for a second before he chewed it. He stared at him hoping to memorize every little thing about him. And that's how he fell asleep thinking of the soft curve of Josh's chin.

***

Tyler woke up early the next morning to the soft snores of Josh who was curled up next to him. His throat, while it still hurt, wasn't screaming in pain anymore and his body wasn't as sore. His nose was still stuffy, but Tyler could deal.

He looked over at Josh and smiled wishing that he could wake up to this every morning. But today was a fluke and Tyler felt as if he should savor how it felt before it was gone. It felt like home.

Tyler snuggled back under the sheets fully prepared to go back to sleep and "accidentally" scoot over closer to Josh, when the pressure above his bladder suddenly made its presence known. Tyler groaned as he grabbed his phone and made his way to the bathroom. The bathroom was much colder than the room and Tyler had to stop himself from bouncing around on the cold tile floor before he had even more stuff to clean up.

He glanced at his phone ready to get all caught up on life, when a wave of exhaustion hit him. He flushed the toilet and scrubbed at his hands really quick, barely able to keep his eyes open. He stumbled back to the room and nearly plowed straight into Josh.

"Woah Josh why are you up?" He asked groggily.

"I felt you get up, I was going to make sure you were okay." Josh said folding his arms around his chest and then Tyler noticed Josh's pants were gone. His face got hot.

"Just had to pee. I'm fine." Tyler said just as everything went black.

***

"Hey Tyler?" Josh said poking Tyler's stomach, "you woke?" Tyler groaned and turned over.

"Yeah." He mumbled into the cover that was pulled up over his face. He sat up slightly and turned to Josh.

"Well you've been sleep for about 10 hours, it's around 1 now. Your fever went down a lot, but you were having some very odd dreams. You said some stuff in your sleep, weird stuff." Josh said glancing over at Tyler. Instantly Tyler's eyes grew, what if he had one of those creepy dreams about clowns again? They always started off okay but then they just derailed into some weird murder, blood bath, that Tyler was in the middle of. Or what if he dreamt about Josh. Just the thought sent Tyler's veins into a flurry, moving all his blood from his head down. "No no nothing like that," Josh said shaking his head, having noticed Tyler's bewildered look. "Just you were saying something about pilots. Like I remember you said 'there's twenty one of them' and something about them all being dead. It was weird."

"Oh." Tyler said nonchalantly, but inside he was relieved beyond belief. He couldn't deal with Josh sitting here with him in this bed knowing how much he dreamt about him. It'd just be a little awkward, unless of course Josh was into that. Tyler bit his lip and looked up at the smaller boy. His eyes were stuck on the tv screen as he didn't even notice Tyler's tiny internal dilemma.

Josh leaned back against the headboard and stretched his legs out, crossing his feet at the ankle, and turned the volume up. Tyler took this as his cue to also lay down. So he laid back down, this time his head resting on Josh's chest. It was weird to be this close to him. He could feel every trace of muscle under his shirt, his heartbeat, maybe if it was quiet enough he could hear his blood rush through his veins.

They sat in silence for a while, the sounds of House as the background music to their thoughts. Neither was truly paying attention, well at least not to the show. The episode ended and it was quiet, more than quiet, it was dead silent.

"So you wanna watch another episode?" Josh asked looking to Tyler.

"Yeah that's fine with me." He responded, then like a sudden breeze rushed through the room and covered Tyler with inspiration, he found the words to say what he had been thinking for a while. "Actually, I just wanted to say thanks for coming over here and checking on me and helping me get better. I mean we're not even dating you're not obligated to do any of this but you did and I just wanted you to know that I appreciate it very much. Thank you." Josh pressed pause and turned back to Tyler.

"It was nothing, you're fun to look after and to feed," Josh laughed as Tyler turned red and looked away. He mumbled shut up and pushed Josh who just laughed some more. "But honestly I didn't mind at all. I'm glad you'll be okay Tyler, because you owe me a movie."

"Alright." Tyler said snuggling in closer to Josh. "You're great Josh, you know that? You really are."

"You're pretty great yourself Mr. Joseph." Josh said and pressed a kiss to Tyler's forehead. A smile slowly spread across Tyler's face and he realized that somehow, he loved a boy he had only known for maybe a month. He didn't know when it happened or how it happened but it did. And as he sat there, curled up against Josh, sick as could be, he realized maybe that same boy loved him back.

Hours later after Tyler and Josh had ordered Chinese for dinner and fell asleep to The Wolf of Wall Street (Josh's favorite movie that he had seen '12 well now 13 times' his words) Tyler suddenly woke up. He started to sit up but was trapped by an arm. They were tangled up in each other and Josh's arm was thrown over Tyler's chest. Josh didn't even seem the least bit worried about getting sick, as shown by how close he was to Tyler's face. His soft breathing was accompanied with the slow hum of the refrigerator and the crawl of cars underneath Tyler's apartment.

Tyler looked around unsure of what caused him to wake up so abruptly. All he knew was that his heart was slamming against his chest, a sweat covered his body. It couldn't be a fever, his nose wasn't as stuffy and he could kinda breathe out of both nostrils. Maybe it was a bad dream. He couldn't remember anything. All he could feel was terrified. Like something was watching him, but he knew for a fact no one was here. He scanned the room again looking for something that could alert him to another presence, but there was nothing but black. Satisfied, but still on edge, he settled back down in Josh's arms. But he still felt pumped, like someone shot adrenaline into his blood. He didn't even feel real. Say something. If you say something you'll make this real. He took a deep breath and under the cover of darkness he whispered :

I love you Josh.

With those three words he instantly calmed down and fell fast asleep. Tomorrow Josh would have to go back to his apartment and back to work, and Tyler would be alone again. This was the last night Tyler could have Josh in his arms. The last night they could fall asleep watching shitty movies together. Tyler wished he was well enough to have savored it. But something in him told him that he had a whole lifetime to do this with him. He just had to wait a bit.

Wait a couple years and you could get forever.

Tyler stayed asleep as the morning sun reared its head, and as Josh pulled himself out of the tangle, and as Josh left. Tyler awoke alone with nothing but a sticky note stuck on his forehead.

"Work calls. Speaking of Tyler wake up u need 2 mke $$"

Tyler smiled at the note, missing Josh already tanged in his heart, but he didn't mind. He knew he'd see Josh tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that, (continue until death or like a business trip or something)


End file.
